


Goodbye Love

by for_the_love_of_tony



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Character Death, Hurt Tony Stark, M/M, Protective Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:14:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22275427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/for_the_love_of_tony/pseuds/for_the_love_of_tony
Summary: Tony knows he had time for one last phone call and he knows exactly who’s number to dial.
Relationships: Steve Rogers & Tony Stark
Comments: 3
Kudos: 36





	Goodbye Love

Steve picked the phone up on the first ring. Nothing if not efficient, Tony thought fondly.

“Hey Steve.”

“Hey Tony. What’s up?”

“Can’t I call you just because?” Steve thought he noticed a little tension in Tony’s usually breezy tone. The one he always used when he was giving Steve a hard time.

“Highly unlikely. You ok?”

“Always, Steve. You know that. Just wanted to say hi. Missing you.”

They had seen each other last night and would see each other tonight Steve was still a little suspicious but he let it slide. For now.

“If you say so,Tony.”

“Well, ok, that’s not exactly true. There was something else I wanted to tell you.”

“I figured as much. What’s up?”

“I know we’ve only been dating for a few months but let’s face it, we’ve been on this road for a lot longer than that. I mean, looking back, we really were pretty oblivious.” 

Steve fought back a laugh, he wasn’t wrong. The constant dancing around one another, the stolen glances, the fact even Nat noticed they stared into each other’s eyes just a little too long. 

“Yeah, guess you got me on that one, Tony.”

“My point is, I know it’s kinda early on but I wanted to tell you something. I love you, Steve. I have for a long time.” His voiced sounded more strained as he went on.

“Tony, I mean, it’s nice to hear but I think I would rather you say it to me in person. You know, the first time and everything.”

“I know but I have...reasons.”

“I’m sure, Tony. Don’t you always?” He replied, not unkindly.

“Hey Steve. Can you say it back? Only if you do, I mean but I’d just really like to hear you say it.”

“You sure you’re ok?” Steve asked, concern building, he pressed a few buttons on his own cell and began to track Tony’s phone.

“Peachy. Just really want to hear it”

“I love you, Tony. Of course, I do.” A relieved sigh could be heard on the other end of the line.

“Great...that’s great.” Tony’s voice sounded farther, sleepy almost. “I know we’re supposed to go out tonight but I’m, I’m not going to make it. Just um, a little caught up right now.”

“You’re making it increasingly hard to believe you’re ok.”

“No, no Steve. I swear, everything is ok.”

Steve eyebrows knitted in confusion as his phone settled in on Tony’s location. “Tony. Why are you in Queens? What’s going on? Swear to me that you’re not in trouble.”

“I swear that it’s going to be alright. It’ll all work out.”

“You’re avoiding the question, Tony.”

“Say it again.”

“Tony.”

“Please Steve. Say it again.”

“I love you Tony, so much. Please tell me exactly where you are.”

“I gotta go Steve. I love you too. More then I ever thought it was possible for me to love someone. I’m so fucked up but you make it feel ok. Like all the shit I’ve been through was worth it. I’m so lucky to have you...” His voice trailed off and the line went dead, leaving Steve calling his name into the void.

The cell phone dropped from his hand and clattered onto the floor. Tony wrapped his arms around his middle, covered in warm blood. The puddle around him getting bigger by the second. He was rapidly slipping towards unconsciousness. 

This was supposed to be an easy mission, it was more personal than anything else and Tony hadn’t wanted to involve the others. Though he was sure they would have gladly helped. He was so confident of his ability to handle it that he hadn’t even been suited up, proving to be a fatal mistake.

“Boss, your vital signs are reaching a critical level. I’ve alerted authorities but based on the trend, if they do not arrive in under two minutes, your likelihood of survival decreases dramatically.”

“Ok, sounds good....”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to send your coordinates to Captain Rogers, Boss?”

“No, no! He’ll never make it in time. He’ll just blame himself. Don’t do that Friday, not until you know...”

He slouched further down the wall. Dying didn’t feel quite as bad as he had imagined. It felt kinda like falling asleep, weightless, it didn’t even really hurt anymore.

“Boss, I would highly recommend you try to remain conscious.”

“It’s ok Friday. Everything’s ok.”

Steve loved him and nothing could take that away from him.

Not even the icy cold hand of death whose fingers tightened around him, slowly easing the life from his body until his last breath left his mouth in a quiet gasp.

The ghost of a smile still etched on his lips.

*********************************

“Can you go any faster, Nat!?”

“No Steve, I literally can not.” She replied cooly as she dangerously weaved through NYC traffic. “What’s going on anyway? You still haven’t told me why we’re racing to some warehouse in Queens.”

“I just. I don’t know honestly. Tony called from there, something wasn’t right. He wouldn’t say but just a gut feeling, I guess.”

“Whatever you say Cap...Shit!” Nat slammed on the brakes as they nearly plowed into a stopped car in front of them.

“Damn! I could run there faster at this point!” Realization lit his features before he shoved the car door open and took off down the street, leaving Nat yelling his name behind him.

Steve followed the beeping coming from his phone, leading him to the coordinates that Friday had sent him, only minutes after the phone call from Tony had cut off. He burst through the door but only found silence. He had expected to come face to face with something big but it was exactly what it claimed to be, an empty warehouse. For some reason, that felt much worse.

He called Tony’s name as he crept around, the beeping of his phone began to intensify as he turned the corner and his heart jumped into his throat. 

He would have looked like he was asleep if not for the puddle of blood he laid in. Steve jumped into action. He wanted to break down, wanted to scream when he pressed his trembling fingers to Tony’s neck and felt nothing there, didn’t see the rise and fall of his chest. He didn’t have time for that, Tony’s skin was still warm, maybe there was still time. There had to be time.

He scooped Tony into his arms and god, he seemed even smaller. His head lolled to the side, hitting Steve’s shoulder. He ran, faster than he ever had in his life, passing the ambulance as they arrived, never slowing, never stopping, until he crashed through the doors of the hospital.

He knew he was frantic, could barely utter a complete sentence, just a stream of words, desperate pleas. The nurses took one look at a panicked Captain America holding a lifeless Tony Stark in his arms and were on them immediately.

And then Tony was out of his arms, whisked away, leaving him on the other side of the doors. Nothing to do, nowhere to go, just sit and wait. And hope. He sat down, his face in his hands, trying to even his breathing. He knew he should make some calls, to Nat at least, but he couldn’t do it. Not until he knew for sure.

He might have sat there for hours, maybe it was only minutes. All he knew is that as soon as the doctor said Tony’s name and found his eyes, it wasn’t the news he wanted to hear. He nearly fell apart right then and there.

“I want to see him.”

“Of course Captain, come this way.”

The room was calm and quiet, a stark contrast to the mess it was and the chaos that must have ensued in the recent past. Tony was in the middle of it all, covered to his neck by a blood stained sheet. Steve closed his eyes and sighed heavily. 

“Damn it Tony.” Steve cursed as tears filled his eyes, he could hear Tony’s voice in his head (Language, Cap) and despite it all he breathed out a strangled laugh but there was joy in it. He stepped closed to run a hand through his dark hair. “You would make me fall in love with you and then leave.”

He continued to let his fingers tangle is Tony’s hair before moving to cup his face in his hand. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to his forehead, the feeling of the cool skin sent a chill straight down the soldier’s spine.

“When I first woke up in this century, it felt like a cruel joke. Everyone I knew and loved, gone. Dropped in a world that I didn’t know, that I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. And you. I was convinced you were epitome of exactly what was wrong with this new world. It took some time, too long maybe, to realize that behind all the bullshit and bravado was a man who was a little broken but determined. A man who would do anything for the people he loved, who would work the rest of his life to make up for his past sins, who wouldn’t rest until he protected this whole damn world.” 

He paused to swallow around the lump in his throat, tears falling quietly. 

“I know you can’t hear me, Tony but I want to say it anyway. I feel like when I put the plane down, it was for a reason that had nothing to do with the bombs. I was meant to end up here, to find you. You gave me a home, Tony and I don’t know how I’m going to navigate this world without you.”

Steve drew in another deep breath, it felt like a band had tightened around his chest, it hadn’t felt this hard to breath since before the serum.

“I will because you’d want me to. You’d tell me that the world needs Captain America. But what use is it being a hero if I can’t save the one person I love the most?”

The blonde closed his eyes and fought against the growing pain in his chest. 

“It’s never going to be the same, Tony. This world didn’t deserve you but I really wish you could have stayed anyway.”

He touched the brunette’s cheek one last time, his blue eyes shining with unshed tears.

“I will miss you, Tony.”


End file.
